Calendar & events

2022 Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) Conference

Event date:
2022-08-02 00:00:00.0 - 2022-08-05 00:00:00.0
Email:
Letsem@unisa.ac.za

Theme: All Things Research in Open Distance and e-Learning

Pre-conference workshops:

 2 August 2022

Conference: 

3 to 5 August 2022

Virtual: 

ZOOM

Times: 

10:00 to 14:15 daily

Offered free of charge but registration is essential in order to receive session links.

One of the most exciting aspects of research in open distance and e-learning (ODeL) is that there is still so much to be discovered. Despite an exponential increase in research on ODeL worldwide and in South Africa over the past decade, researchers are still only scratching the surface of the possibilities that beckon in this vital field; they are also grappling with the complexities of ensuring effective teaching, student support and retention. There is vast scope for inquiring minds to set a research agenda in ODeL and generate findings that can help shape people’s futures for the better.

Whether you are an established ODeL researcher or a newcomer to the field, Unisa’s 2022 ODeL Virtual Conference, from 3 to 5 August with the theme “All Things Research in Open Distance and e-Learning”, has something for you. On the one hand, it will serve as a platform for ground-breaking research being conducted by leading ODeL researchers in Southern Africa, other African countries and beyond. On the other hand, it will definitively inspire researchers who understand the importance of ODeL for the future of higher education but who may not yet have a sense of the research possibilities or collaborations available.

Be part of the debate and share practical and sustainable solutions for research in ODeL during the pre-conference workshops, an ODeL postgraduate consortium, plenary sessions and paper streams to explore the theme and various subthemes of the conference. The keynote speakers and panellists include a variety of well-known speakers such as Professor Asha Singh Kanwar, President and Chief Executive Officer, Commonwealth of Learning, Canada; Dr Marti Cleveland-Innis, Master of Education Programme, Athabasca University, Canada; and Dr Olaf Zawacki-Richter, Director of the Center for Open Education Research (COER), University of Oldenburg, Germany. There are also panel discussions by leading experts from the USA, India, Tanzania, Eswatini, Russia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The Unisa e-conference is an opportunity not to be missed! The conference itself is free of charge, but it is essential to register to obtain the session links. If you are busy writing a paper or would like to share your research in a workshop, it is not too late – the deadline for submissions is 15 July 2022 for both proposal options. This deadline may be extended by special agreement with the conference organisers. Submission requirements are available on the website. Accepted papers will be considered for a book on ODeL to be published by Unisa Press.

Here is your invitation to be part of the debate about research in open distance learning and e-learning!

Enquiries: Letsem@unisa.ac.za
Web address: https://www.unisa.ac.za/2022OdelConference